$2,118,893
$966,549
4.24x
This SBA pre-qualified lifestyle media brand has spent nearly two decades earning something few digital media companies can claim: genuine trust across Southern California. Founded in 2010 as a print magazine, the business made a decisive shift in 2021, exiting print entirely to become a fully digital, social-first media company. Today, it reaches roughly 12 million people monthly across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and five additional platforms, outpacing legacy regional publishers many times its size and age in both audience and engagement.
That reach is powered by a proprietary, in-house-built technology platform: an AI-driven CRM that automates partner onboarding, campaign proposals, editorial writing, and real-time reporting, giving the business efficiency that few competitors can match. This operating leverage shows up directly in the numbers. As the business intentionally shed print, events, and excess overhead, SDE margin expanded from roughly 32% to 46% on a TTM basis, with SDE up nearly 10% year over year even as the transition completed.
Buyers inherit more than a brand; they inherit a proven, working playbook, already executed successfully across four distinct and competitive California markets, ready to be pointed at new cities. Growth opportunities are already built, not theoretical. A new subscription product already has working landing pages and payment infrastructure in place, and just needs a dedicated sales push to scale. Content and email inventory are underused today and could be expanded well beyond current levels. National brand relationships spanning a decade or more leave real room for a focused outreach effort. A seasoned sales lead drives the bulk of new business, and the founder, ready to step back after 15 years, is committed to a formal transition. With the business unaffected during a 150-day sabbatical, this is a systemized, transferable operation that’s positioned for a buyer to replicate this proven model in new markets.
Access the full business summary, profit and loss statements, and a detailed interview with the owner of this business
Chris has been a business broker for the past 20 years, representing hundreds of sellers, and having earned the accreditations of Merger & Acquisition Master Intermediary and Certified Business Intermediary. Chris also created and sold his first e-commerce businesses in 2003, and has since purchased an affiliate marketing site, created multiple content sites and an Amazon FBA business. He joined Quiet Light to merge these two passions and help online business owners reach their exit goals.
Get your free valuation & marketplace-readiness assessment. We’ll never push you to sell. And we’ll always be honest about whether or not selling is the right choice for you.